The Best Homemade Salsa

I feel like all I’ve been doing on here lately is complaining about the weather. Well, folks, I’m afraid it’s not going to stop until winter fully breaks. We’ve had a few warm-weather teases here and there, but temperatures are staying in the 20s and 30s and snow still visits us once a week.

I am so ready for spring. Not only because of the break in weather and all the wonderful things associated with that, but also because spring means summer is close.

And when I think of summer, I think of big bowls of chips, guacamole, and salsa. And margaritas. Sadly, given my new state, no margaritas are in my future anytime soon. Summer might turn into a long painful season in it’s own right!

At least I can still have bowls upon bowls of guac and salsa. THIS salsa. There is only one other salsa on this earth that beats this one, and it comes from a chain restaurant. I’ll keep you guessing about which one, but the best thing they serve are crispy, extra-thin tortilla chips and smoky, salty salsa. Heaven. Sometimes I want to go and ONLY order the chips and salsa. This at-home version is as close as I can get to that restaurant fav (thanks in part to The Pioneer Woman. She rocks).

The quantities listed in the recipe below are what work for me. You can adjust any or all of the ingredients as needed. Add more spice, less onion, more cilantro. Whatever works for you.

I puree my salsa until it is mostly smooth. I’m not a huge fan of chunky salsa. I don’t like getting chunks of different ingredients; I’d rather have it all be one uniform mixture of yumminess. SO, I puree it A LOT. Again, this is customizable to your tastes.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go serve up a heaping bowl of this, figure out a way to make a virgin margarita, close my eyes, and pretend I’m poolside with the warm sun beating down.

Seriously, cannot WAIT! Until then, let’s salsa.

The Best Homemade Salsa (makes 4 cups of salsa)

1 shallot, chopped

2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 teaspoon garlic salt

½ teaspoon cumin

1 (14-oz) can whole peeled tomatoes

1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes with mild chiles

Juice of 1 large lime

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Hot sauce, to taste

1. Pulse the shallot, jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, sugar, garlic salt, and cumin together in a food processor until very finely minced. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is finely minced.

2. Add both cans of tomatoes, lime juice, and olive oil. Pulse until desired consistency is reached. Check for seasonings and add salt, pepper, and hot sauce as needed. Pour the salsa into a large mason jar, seal, and place in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours before using.